Dear Appa and Amma, I wanted to start by thanking you for what you have done in my life and for being a provider, friend and supporter, even when I didnt have the wisdom to recognize it, in the past. And for your patience.
Appa - As you will see in the rest of the letter, I strongly believe Almighty God used you to stop the generational curses in our Thatha's line through you, so I could find the true nature of our Maker.
As our relationship has strained due to my following of Lord Jesus Christ, since April 1 2018, I wanted to document the path that lead me to following the One True Living God of the Universe, who created heavens and earth.
As you have known me from the past, I have always been searching for deeper relationship with God, either in the form of Ganesha pooja or Samithadhanam and Sandhi after Upanayanam. I have been wondering on several open ended questions on things that we practiced where we didnt have true explanation from our sacred text or from any of the elders that pointed to God. Here are some of the answers I found in my first read of the Holy Bible from April-July of 2017, which lead me on this journey.
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Why did we hear the knock on the window, when Amma's period started which signalled that she was to stay outside the kitchen and she couldnt go to temple or mix with us?
A. Lev15:19-20,24 and further, no sex during her cycle Lev18:19
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Where did the priest class of our brahmins come up and why were we set apart?
A. Lev8 explains the set apartness of the Levites, who are the priest class, which is similar to what we still follow
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Where did the concept of Kula Deivam or village dieties come about?
A. Deu32:8-9 and Isa46:1-9 which talk about boundaries, and territorial spirits and idols
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Why are our temples laid out with an external compound, an inner court and an inner sanctuary, where only the priests can go?
A. Ex25 to Ex31 and Ex35 to Ex40 describes the Temple lay out of the LORD as dictated by Him
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Why did we worship the sun and celebrate Pongal and other harvest festivals?
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Where did the use of maah velakku and grain and rice offerings come from? What the significance of bali peedam?
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Was the flood and pralaya just a myth?
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About long weddings and ceremonies
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Any significance or arranged marriages in the Bible?
A. Gen24
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A virgin daughters price and dowry
A. Ex22:16-17
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Abortion and child sacrifice, that happens in some villages in India and other parts of the world still...
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What is the precedence for no shaving or cutting of hair and then to offer the hair?
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Any proof of being demonized and pei pudichirukku
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Why is divination and sorcery evil?
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Do we need to work to earn God's grace?
A. Eph2:8-10
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Where did we get the Lunar calendar from?
A. 1Chr23:31
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Why do we sanctify our house with red color semmannu around the door posts or outside?
A. Ex12:22
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Why did we treat moms who just gave birth as unclean and had to wait certain time to go to temples?
A. Lev12:2-6
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Why is bestiality and homosexuality wrong?
A. Lev18:22-23
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Why did some of our thathas didnt eat old food and some of the sasthrigals shun pazhaya sadam
A. Lev19:5-7 and Lev22:29-30
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Why do we honor elders and the aged?
A. Lev19:32
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Where did we get the advise to not follow foreign customs?
A. Lev20:23
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Why is handling or touching of the dead considered theettu?
A.Lev21:1
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Why did we not take vacations, but made it into a piligrimage and convocation with family in key temple areas?
A. Lev23:39-43 where we get the 4 Feasts of the LORD and the people gather to celebrate, including day of fasting, prayer and bringing offerings, similar to the several festivals we have.
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How do we explain why bad things happen to good people and even godly people?
A. The entire book of Job
Appa and Amma, if you have made this far in reading or even clicking and reading the verses, you get a glimpse of what made me to read more of the Bible and research. This truly lead me to understand the nature of our Creator and the need to worship HIM and not any of the created beings like idols or tree or animals.
This lead to understanding that I can only have a relationship with the Most High GOD, only through the sanctifying power of His Son, Jesus Christ. Since then, I have become more Indian in my thinking than before as I strongly believe the western progress which is corrupted by Satan has seeped into Indian society since early 1900s and is destroying us from within. The only path forward is to follow the Laws of God, through the Bible (live the 10 Commandments) and adopt most of our early ways instead of being corrupted by entertainment and the worldly systems.
With your last request to not call you or contact you, I have respected that and not reached out per Exo 20:12, even if it has bothered me and pained me at times.
I really pray to the Most High GOD, that He shows you a part of what I saw, so you are reconciled with Him.
If you want to read part of my testimony, please see a post I wrote last year.
I would like to end this letter with the ending from Psalm139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Sincerely, your son
-raj